Automatic train-pipe coupling.



J. V. ROBINSON.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.23. 1912.

Patel lted Nov. 6, 1917.

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AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

. APPUCATION FILED DEC. 23 I912- 1,245,780. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 a W 7 1 m a 1/ r V// JOSEPH v. ROBINSON, or WASHINGTON, nrs'rnrc'ror conmvnsrn.v

AUTOMATIC. TRAIN-PIPE courzunve.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratemeanov. 6, 191 7.

-' application filed December 23, 1912. Serial No. 738,398.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH V. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to couplers for automatically connecting the steam and railway couplings when coupling the cars together.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the structure of such couplers and to render them efficient and durable. The various improvements constituting the invention will be described in detail in con- I nection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a train pipe coupler embodying the present invention, and showing in side elevation a removably connected interchange coupling.

'Fig. 2 is a rear view of the coupling head and connected parts shown in Fig. 1, the spring being broken away and the axial sup porting rod shown in section.

Figs. 3 and 4: are side and rear views of the interchange couplers shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the attaching means for the interchange coupler.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the couplers shown 5 register, wlth the socket 26, and lnsures corin Fig. 1, partly in horizontal section.

Fig. 7 is a front view of the base and bearing plate for the spring. 7

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the base.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of another form of fluid conduit. adapted to be seated in the head and provided with a detachable coupling member. i

Fig. 10 is a front view of a portion of the conduit member shown in Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, a one-piece base A is secured to the lug or bracket 12 by bolts 13, the bracket being in turn connectedto the usual coupler (not shown) of the car. To permitadjustment of the base along the bracket, the bracket is provided with an elongated slot, as shown, across the inner walls of which extend ribs 13 that prevent accidental slipping of the ba'seon The body 14 of the base is spherical portion 17 is mounted for univer:

sal movement. .The plate '16 is perforated at 18 to permit it to rock abouta rod 19,

and its edge is turned in forming a flange j 20. Within the flange and in close engagement therewith the base coil of a conical- I tained in position under a slight compression by a gradually tapered resilient rod 19 which extends through the baseA, the perforation 18 of the plate 17 and the spring at 24: to the member 22 on which member is mounted the pin-and-funnel coupling head B. (See Fig. 6.) The rod 19 isrectangular in cross sectionand tapers abruptly at the rear for a short distance, producing a head or en larged end 25 which in the normal position restsin a correspondingly shaped socket 26 of a projection 27 centrally located on the rear face of the body 14 of the base A.

The engagement of the head 25 of the rod with the socket 26, and, the positive connection of thesmall end of the rod with the member 22, prevents excessive forward movement of the coupling head Bin service and holds the conical spring 21 under slight compression as stated. This always brings the head 25 of the rod into proper rect positioning of the coupling head B for coupling. The rectangular tapering shape of the socket, and corresponding tapering of the rod, prevent turning of, the latter in tate freely within certain limits as the rod- 19 will then fit-loosely in the smallerend of the socket26. y

This arrangement provides an improved construction of high 'efliciencyin which the coupling head 13 is, supported for free universal movement. from the normal uncoupled position solelyby the resili'ent rod- 19, the latter operating tomove out .of engagement with thebase A and free it of suchsupporting strains as ,the cars couple. In this man .ner a wide range ofmovement is allowed the '70 21 and has its small end rigidly connected head B in the coupled position, resisted only by the frictional resistance occurring between the engaging surface of the plate 17 and base A, thereby almost entirely eliminating the distorting strains on coupled heads, incident to the quick vibrating movement of running cars.

The fiuidconducting member 22 extends through, and, as stated, carries the coupling head B which has the usual pin-and-tunnel guiding means 28 and 29 and an air eX- tended gasket 30 at its face. The rear end 31 of the member is angularly disposed to the longitudinal and transverse center lines of the head B and is threaded as shown to detachably receive the nipple of the usual train pipe hose on the car being equipped. The fitting is maintained in this angular position. by the ribs or projections 32 and 33' of the head B, (see Fig. 2), which ribs constitute means for positioning the member.

An interchange couplin comprising a head 34 having a perforated face 35 is positively connected to the head B by the claws or hooks 36 on the face of the interchange and the pins 37 which extend through the head B and into the fluid-conducting member 22 on opposite sides of the latter. The claws are slightly inclined at 88 as shown in Fig. 5 to draw the face of the interchange coupling tightly against the face of the fluidconducting member 22 so as to compress the gasket 30 therein and make a tight joint. A. slight rotation of the interchange coupling when assembling on the head B produces this clamping effect and brings the face 39 of its head 34 into position, angularly disposed to the vertical and horizontal axes of the coupling head B as indicated in Fig. 2. When thus assembled the nipple in the end of the train pipe hose of the car to be put in interchange is coupled into the head 34: of the interchange coupling for eflicient' operation. This arrangement produces a compact and durable means for interchangeably connecting a train pipe hose of a car to the coupling head B.

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown a modification of the fluid-conducting member 22 in which the inner end or" the member comprises an ordinary non-automatic hose coupling 40. With this construction the coupling in the end of the train pipe hose of the car equipped with the automatic device is coupled into the coupling 40 for automatic operation and when it is desired to make interchange, disconnected therefrom andpa'ssed under the guide pin 28 of the head B andconnected to.

the hose or the unequipped car.

In the foregoing specification I have described the'bes't embodiment of the invention in point or service, but I desire it under stood that the invention is not limited to scribed. Should a more flexible support for naaavsc head B similar to the manner in which the base of the spring is mounted in the base A. Having thus described the invention what is claimed new is:

l. in an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination witha car coupler carrying a supporting bracket having a slot, of a coupler supporting base, and a bolt passing through said slot for securing the base to the bracket, the walls of the slot being ribbed to prevent shifting of the base longitudinally of the bracket.

In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a car coupler provided with a bracket having a slot, a coupling head, a supporting base for said head, means in said slot for clamping said base to said bracket, and a rib extending across the wall of said slot in the transverse horizontalplane to prevent shifting of said base longitudinally of said slot.

in an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a base, a coupling head, and means for supporting the head from the base, said means positively engaging the base to prevent lateral movement of the head only when the latter is in uncoupled position.

4:. In an automatic train pipe coupling,

the combination of a base, a coupling head,

and means for supporting the head from the base, including a stem extending from the head to'the base and positively engaging'thc latter to prevent lateral movement of the head only when it is in uncoupled position.

5. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a base, means acting against said base at all times to place saidhead under pressure, and means for supporting said head so as to permit movement thereof laterally 01" the car in the horizontal plane and for resisting such movemeat from the normal uncoupled position only.

6. in an automatic train pipe coupling the combination of a coupling head, a base,

means acting against said base at all times for extending and placing said head under pressure, and means for supporting said head so as to P rmit lateral movement thereof and for resisting such movement from the normal uncoupled position only.

In an automatic train pipe couplin the combination of a coupling head, a base, means acting against said base at all times for extending saidhead, and means engag ing the base for supporting the head and preventing lateral movement in the hori zontal plane from the normal uncoupled position, said means being freed from such engagement with the base as the cars couple.

8. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, means for placing said head under pressure, and separate resilient means for yieldingly supporting said head against lateral movement in any direction from the uncoupled p0sition, said resilient means constituting the sole support of said head when in such posi tion.

9. The combination of a coupling head, a base, resilient means acting to extend the head, and a resilient rod interposed between said base and head constituting the sole support for the latter.

10. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, abase, resilient means acting to extend the head, and a resilient rod extending through said base auxiliary of said means and connected with the head for supporting the latter.

11. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a base, and a straight resilient rod extending forwardly of said base for supporting said head and for resisting rotary movement thereof.

12. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, means for extending said head, a base, and a resilient rod projecting from said base axially of said extending means for supporting said head.

13. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, means for extending the head, a base, and a rod extending slidably through said base for supporting the head with a greater resistance to lateral movement thereof from the uncoupled than from the coupled position of said head.

14. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a base, a spiral spring interposed between said head and base and having its rear end movable relative to the base, and a rod extending through said base and axially of said spring for supporting said head, said rod engaging the base to oppose lateral movement when the head is in uncoupled position and being freed from such engagement as the cars couple.

15. In an automatic train pipe coupler, the combination with a base and a coupler head, of resilient means between the base and head and serving to extend the head, and a flexible rod mov-ably seated in the base and serving as the sole support of the head when in uncoupled position.

16. In an automatic train pipe coupler, the combination with a base and a coupler head, of a spiral spring between the base and head and serving to extend the latter, and a rod connected to the head and extending through said spring and through the base, for yieldingly maintaining said head in the normal uncoupled position.

17. In an automatic train pipe coupler, the combination with a base and a coupler head, of a spiral spring between the base and head and serving to'extend the latter, and a rod connected to the head and extending through said spring and through the base and operating to support the head, said base having a rearwardly flaring socket and said rod having a head adapted to seat in said socket.

18. In an automatic train pipe coupler, the combination with a base and a head, of a spring interposed between the base and the head, a universally movable seat in the base to receive the spring, and a rod connected to the head extending through the spring and the base, said base having a rearwardly flaring socket and said rod having a head adapted to seat in said socket against lateral movement.

19. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a base, a spiral spring having one end seated on the base, a coupling head mounted on the other end of the spring, a fluid conduit in the head extending Ros'r. T. LANG, J. A. WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

